141 



Rydb. Roots of Cypripedium Veganum, collected by Dr. Grab- 

 ham at Beulah, N. M., have been sent to the New York Botani- 

 cal Garden, and it is hoped that this fine species will flower there. 

 Pecos, New Mexico. 



SHORTER NOTES 



The Habitats of Polypodium polypodioides. — Mr. Pol- 

 lard's note on Polypodium polypodioides and P. vidgare in the 

 Plant World for July, 1902, recalls to my mind some observa- 

 tions on the same plants, especially on the places of growth 

 selected by the first named species. I have observed Polypodium 

 polypodioides at many stations, ranging from sea-level to almost 

 4,000 feet altitude on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge, and 

 am convinced that the plant does not prefer trees to rocks, but 

 that it is confined to trees only when rocks are lacking. I have 

 found this Polypodium most abundant one or two hundred miles 

 away from the coast. In the immediate vicinity of the coast and 

 for some distance back where rocks do not occur, it is plentiful 

 on trees, but when both rocks and trees occur together, at 

 moderate altitudes, at least below 1,000 feet, it grows on both, 

 but, as Mr. Pollard has observed near Washington, much more 

 plentifully on the rocks. Localities where the plant behaves as 

 it is described as doing at the Great Falls of the Potomac, are 

 numerous from middle North Carolina to middle Georgia ; for 

 example, the Falls of the Yadkin River in the former State and 

 banks of the Yellow River in the latter State. However, after 

 ascending beyond 1,000 feet, in places where trees and rocks are 

 equally plentiful, especially on the eastern slope of the Blue 

 Ridge in North and South Carolina and Georgia, I have not 

 noticed a single instance of its occurrence on a tree, while rocks 

 and cliffs exposed to the south or east, and the sun, harbor 

 quantities of the fern wherever it can gain a hold. 



John K. Small. 



